The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-09-03
TIE UNIvERsAI1sT SATURDAY SEPTEMBER g. 1887

what are we here for? If it is not true, then
the motto should be, ''Press on to the mark
of the high calling"
Let us see. As long as the great Catholic
church has its purgatory, and the great mass
of The so-called evangelical or orthodox
churches cling to their time-worn idea of a
future endless hell,-no matter how cool
hat hell may bel think there is still work
for Us to do. We stand to-day almost alone,
will the thought of universal and better
life. Life more abundantly. 1t is true that
a f. W stray branches of one or more of the
leading orthodox churches OF this country say
that they believe in future probation; while
other parties of the same organization
siaDds ready crying "heresyl" and seek to
cast them out into outer darkness, where
they believe there is weeping and crashing
of teeth.
l. there, then, no more for us to do? think
there is. The question has come to me more
frequently, aid presented itself to me more
wildly than ever before. Why have we met
year after year for the past half century, and
why are we here to-day? Do we come together
that we may give each other kindly greeting,
shake each other by the hand, have a good
time, here few stirring sermons. and have
our spiritual strength slightly renewed?
These things are all good and profitable, but
in this we have not done our whole duty. We
are here, dear friends, as underestimate, for
retrospect and for prospect, as we'll as to have
| good time. We want to look over the past
year 8 work, lat least to see what has been done,
and to lay plans for at least one year'to come
The reports of our Secretary and Superin-
tendent will show most fully what has been
done during the past year. l doubt not
| we will see new churches have been organ
| lied; dormant churches have been revived;
that additions have been made to our church
| membership, and that more churches have
services every Sunday in the year than was
| the case one year ago, and that some addition
has been made to our Permanent Mission
| airy Fund. These things are all encouraging
and should prompt us all to greater effort
and activity.
Let this be another of our mottos, 'Be
not weary in well doing, for we shall reap if
we faint not"
| We have made important gains during the
| past year. under rather discouraging crcum-
stances; and now it remains for this Conven-
| ton to lay new plans, or renew old ones,
whereby we may achieve new and greater
victories. The reports and program will sug-
gest what needs to be done; SO let us lay wise
| plans and execute them nobly.
| Let us go from this meeting with firm
resolution to do more, if not better work than
ever before. Then will our Zion be enlarged
and our faith strengthened. few things 1
would especially emphasize:
l. The increase of our Permanent Mission
airy Fund.
| 2. The more thorough establishment of
| pastoral circuits, and the settlement of pas
| tors therein.
| 3. The revival of interest in our Associa-
| tions.
4. More thorough loyalty to the faith which
we profess and should love:-
"The faith that will not shrink
| Though pressed by every foe,
| That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe
''That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the Christening rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain,
| Will lean upon its God.
| ga faith that shines more bright and clear
| When tempests rage without,
/ That when IN danger knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt.
''Lord, give us such faith as this,
And then, whate er may come,
Well taste, cen here, the hallow ed bliss
OF an eternal home"
w. P. Best, of Fairfield, and S. j..
Merrill, of Mount Carmel, were ap-
pointed as assistant secretaries; and
the following committees appointed ::
Public Services-Rev. 1. B. Grandy,
Joseph Hummell, John 10th. Resolu-
tions-J. B. Fosher, Albert Wilgus, J..
H. Hewitt.
The program, at this hour, called for
the Secretary's annual report, to be
followed by that of the Treasurer and
Executive Committee. These docu-
ments not being ready, were made the
special order for 2:30 on Friday after
noon.
The First Topic
of the Convention program was then
by consent taken up for consideration,
"How can the Universalist Convention
of Indiana, secure better observance
of its laws, governing the settlement of
pastors ?" The discussion was opened
by the President. No other church,
he observed, in Indiana, paid so much
money to the railroads as the Univers-
alist church. This was on account of
the distance between the churches and
their pastors. 1t is not good economy.
We should establish circuits-bring the
churches and pastors together. Rev.
R. N. John said we could get along bet
ter if the people understood the laws
and regulations under which we work.
He read the law of the Convention
which made it the duty of the parishes,
able only to have preaching once or
twice month, to associate themselves
into circuits. Hon. j. M. Bulla spoke
of the difficulty of getting the people
to adopt the policy of pastoral circuits.
His church was prepared to enter into
such a circuit at any time; he also
stated that the church had gotten over
the idea of allowing their personal pref
erence to govern in the settlement of a
minister. DR.. Demarest made the
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